prismaticrap | ▶ TDM .014

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You awaken amidst the darkness with only a faint light to greet you. Your body is hemmed in by shards of crystals, gently sparkling and possibly pricking your skin. The surrounding landscape is dyed in the pinks and purples of the dusk filled with crystals protruding from the ground, some as large as a skyscraper. After an hour or two of wandering through the crystal wilderness, a group of people find you worse for wear. They are the gallant Moon Knights from the planet of Prismatica. Because of the strange phenomena during the past months when scientists observed the sudden appearance of rainbow crystals in the sky, the government has been feverishly combing through the moon for more Moonblessed to be rescued. You’ll eventually be brought into Iris’s moon government center.

You all may have your usual inquiries — Where are we? Who are you? What's going on? — and the Prismals are almost too eager to answer. They tell you about their world and about the first appearance of the Moonblessed as the medical staff give you an examination to make sure you’re not carrying any viruses or biological hazards. If you react violently, you may be restrained and nerfed with a specialized neurotransmitting gun that releases a numbing agent through the top of your spine. Once the examinations are over, you’re informed that you will be provided accommodations on their planet during your stay. You will then be escorted to the docks, and led onto a large transport vessel that makes frequent trips back and forth between the Iris moon and the planet. Faces onboard vary from both old and new Moonblessed as well as the local Prismals.

The next destination: Prismatica.

▶ Welcome to the Jungle
Iris Moon, Government Center (Arrival) and Planet Prismatica, City of Lunatia | top

Welcome to Prismatica’s hub, Lunatia, the city of your dreams! A bustling metropolis lush with bright lights, vibrant colors, luxuriant plant life, and all the conveniences of technology absent from your own world… It seems like paradise to all the uninitiated. After a quick tour of the city, new arrivals can find themselves getting cozy in their new homes.

A Settle in your new home at Level 2 to find new roommates and say hello to your neighbors! City officials will give you directions to the designated districts across Level 2 and instruct you to pick out a unit. Each apartment complex has a different aesthetic, some may look cozy, some stylish, and some bizarre. The free accommodations have a basic living space that can only fit two or three people at most in one unit.

Starter Chromaspace furnishings are provided which can be controlled with the touch of a built-in panel. Examples are color-changing curtains, transforming sofa beds, cabinets turning into tables, etc. Customizing your apartment or moving out will have to wait until you earn more chroma. Until then, why don’t you check out your new neighborhood or explore the city levels? Maybe your new roommates or neighbors can give you a “hand” with allowance for dinner.

▶ Rock Your Body Right
Lunatia | top

Oh my god, they're back again. After taking more than a year-long hiatus, *BTSB (Backstay Sailor Boys) takes the planet by storm once more with their latest single, Anybody (Yeah). With an album out and a concert on the way, the five-man fox Prismal group from Amegahara has been busy with promotions. Their appearances on billboard ads, magazines, TV shows, et cetera make their worldwide handsome faces pretty hard to miss! Everyone and their pet robot in Lunatia can be found jamming to their songs, and every teenager on the street can tell you who their bias is and why.

B Be a part of *BTSB's Prismagram campaign and get a chance to win a physical copy of their album and backstage passes to their upcoming concert! Simply take a picture of you and your friends with official merchandise and post it on Prismagram with the hashtag #WeAreBTSB. Be careful, though: touching *BTSB merchandise tends to make people crush on the first face they see. The posts with the best pictures and stories will get their prizes in the mail on the 24th.

Why would a Moonblessed want to meet them, you ask? Community spirit! A sizable portion of the locals will start singing or dancing with you and your friends! “I want it another way. Tell me why? I never want to hear you say, I wish it wasn't that way. Don't be that way!” Play along and they’ll be willing to pardon your unpaid meal tab for one time or offer an incredible discount for one item you really wanted at the mall. The boys are also considered talented magic users in their own right. They might have some spells and magic tools to add to a Moonblessed's arsenal!

▶ What’s the Deal With This Pop Life?
Lunatia | top

Before you meet these foxy boys, you'll want to do your research on them. Thankfully, their ridiculously huge fanbase (who refer to themselves as NAVY) has already done the work for you.

Suzaku is the leader and the brains of the group. Both his witty, rapid-fire raps and lightning-fast spinning breakdances are known throughout the planet. He is also a newscaster and likes making informative but interesting Prismagram posts. His brother is also an idol, albeit a washed up one-hit wonder.

Kaya is the group's down-to-earth mom friend and soulful vocals. He is the most responsible of the boys and handles their meals and laundry. A former delinquent in his youth, he now spends his free time cooking for schoolchildren and advocating fox rights. He does not support fox pelt products and owns an animal shelter for strays.

Lecter is a dancer who oozes with sex appeal. If not in the studio, he is always hitting up the gym. Once a member of the Little Moonblessings Club in his childhood, he has grown out of his boy-next-door image. Currently, he is #2 on Prismal Magazine's Top 100 Sexiest Men Alive for his well-built frame and photogenic looks. Contrary to his cool appearance and reserved demeanor, he is surprisingly personable. He is also a prolific actor. He likes cats.

Tarn is the baby of the group who maintains a gaming channel. He often does spontaneous livestreams where he does Let’s Play sessions, live Q&As, and encourages people to make memes of his face. He jokes about playing more LmaO than going to practice but he’s got clear and strong vocals.

Rasha is a narcissistic man who can’t get enough of his fans and himself. When hanging around his fans, he tends to ask if they have a mirror to look at himself with. Don’t let his vanity fool you! He’s funny, incredibly easy to be with, and willing to treat people to drinks. He writes most of the lyrics for the group’s songs.

C Every hour, you will receive a text from the official *BTSB fanclub with a link to a poll. The texts will not stop unless you answer the poll. Please answer it ICly, as the answers will affect the event later this month!

Upon voting on the poll, you will be redirected to a video and text chatroom where you will be connected to a random stranger who has also answered the poll. Both you and the stranger will then need to answer the following questions:

Do you think the other person in this chatroom can be your fire? One of your many desires? Tell me why. Be honest.
Among the Moonblessed, who do you think is tasty? The tastiest?

Until both questions are answered truthfully, it will be impossible to switch apps, close the app, or delete it entirely.

▶ Questions

If you have any questions regarding this test drive meme, please ask them in the Questions thread below.

WHO CAN POST? ▶ Test drive memes are for new characters only. Existing players may not post starter threads in the test drime meme. However, current players are more than welcome to use these prompts for their own posts in the IC communities, personal inboxes, catch-all posts, etc.!

IS THIS CANON? ▶ As our test drive memes are game canon, feel free to keep any threads that happen here as canon for your character should they be accepted.

PRISMAGRAM CAMPAIGN - The mods will not will not be picking any winners for this contest OOCly. Feel free to assume your character/s won (or lost terribly).

PLAY ALONG - The gifts you can earn from playing along with the locals, as mentioned, includes free meals or drinks, a good discount for a high-end shirt, and so on. Feel free to come up with your own prizes OOCly this as long as it’s reasonable. You may not have won the lottery, but you could get a small token of appreciation!

NEW SPELLS AND MAGIC TOOLS - Details of these will be released in the next event!

POLL - Please answer the poll ICly, as the answers will affect the event later this month!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[It isn't the worst idea to tell people. Really, it works well.] Okay. [He had told plenty of people he had been Seimei's friend. It wasn't the first time he had told such a blatant lie.]

I can still fight here. I did see if I still could in case it was necessary. [It goes without saying that he kept it a secret because it was always a secret. Nobody would know what he could do until Seimei purposely asked for him to and Soubi knew he would want him to at some point.

That would be the only reason why he was needed. He had no other use.]

[ that makes seimei’s eyes light up. it had occurred to him that maybe fighting wouldn’t work the same way here, and soubi—or nisei—would ultimately be useless to him again, but he’s managed to exert some influence over the prismals. it pleases him to hear that soubi’s tried the same thing already. ]

You have always been good at your job.

[ seimei rarely gets involved in fights directly, but he’s managed to find a personal vendetta here in only the short time he’s lived on this planet. of course. ]

I expect big things from you, Soubi. This world has plenty of new inspiration to draw from.

[He can tell that Seimei is pleased. There must be something going on here and he wants him to fight at some point. Soubi had been able to fight but he wonders how it'll work here. If it'll be safe because as much as he doesn't care what happens to him so much, he does know he's more useful alive at the very least.

But as for the inspiration comment, he looks around at the city. To Soubi, the setting is only gaudy. As an artist, he can nitpick a lot about this.]

It's...doable. I can work with anything.

“Doable.”

[ seimei isn’t scolding him, though. now that soubi is here and capable, he is quite pleased with the whole arrangement of things. he checks the time on his device, once again dismissing the poll that’s been hounding him. ]

Ah, one more question. Do you know what moon you’re under? I assume they explained all that to you.

Oh. Cordis, they said.

[He doesn't know what it means exactly. There's the moons and he understands that. Understands that when each moon is in effect that he will go through changes. Despite his many flaws, he could listen and learn. Ritsu had always said he was good at learning.

He wonders what Seimei is and if they're together then he'll have to know. But the other has always been so private. There had been a lot that Soubi had not known about and would this just be another part? Especially since he had learned whatever happened did affect others.]

[ well, that’ll be for soubi to figure out. ]

It shouldn’t be too bad, then. [ he smiles. ] I’m Cordis too, as far as I know. The worst that’s happened is that I’ve gotten pretty ravenous.

[ eating might become a task with soubi around, since seimei is so very particular about where he eats, what he eats, and with whom he eats, but his standards might slip when and if he gets hungry enough. ]

It’ll be fun. Like two people getting sick together.

[Soubi is very unsure of that simile.

And when Seimei mentions being hungry during that time, Soubi is also unsure as he thinks about food. Seimei was so picky. It's already a given he wouldn't want to eat anything Soubi made and he wouldn't eat in front of him. Did he just have to stay in his room the whole time until Seimei told him to come out? Seems likely and Soubi didn't think he wanted to do anything else anyway.]

I know some said they become more affectionate. [It's mostly said as an aside because he highly doubts Seimei would ever be that way. No matter what moon happened.

But what about other people? Did they try to touch him?]

[ affectionate. seimei isn’t sure about that one. soubi’s instincts are true—even at the height of desperation, there’s nothing that would make seimei want to touch anyone but ritsuka. he doesn’t think his hands are capable of it. ]

Some do. [ not him, is the implication. but then something crosses his face. dissatisfaction. maybe there’s a hint of the problem he’s encountered so far in it. ] I’ve heard we smell good, too. A high compliment.

We as in Cordis?

[Soubi doesn't claim to be good at anything but fighting but that does include other skills. Being quick on your feet and being observant is also important.

And that look doesn't escape his notice. Right now, while he's here, he has no choice but to bow to Seimei. As uncomfortable as it makes him, as many things he knows are being hidden from him; he cannot simply disobey.

But he will remember these moments.]

Yes.

[ seimei inhales and sighs through his nose, tucking his hands into his pockets. it’s something he’ll deal with later. soubi’s presence is what he wants to focus on now—the more things he can get sorted away at this moment, the less he has to think about in the future. ]

But it could always be worse.

Can I ask how?

[From where he stands, this is pretty bad. Maybe Seimei means they could have a worse moonblessing but he still thinks it doesn't matter. There isn't anything about this situation, Soubi thinks, that has any positive merit.

At least for Soubi but then again, Seimei knows much more about turning a situation into something to his advantage. Seimei had always been like that.]

[ seimei snorts softly. soubi has always been a bit of a pessimist—though seimei doesn’t blame him. ]

You need to learn to look on the bright side, Soubi. [ he smiles, less comforting than cruel. ] You could be here alone.

[ seimei wonders how soubi would fare: no master except the moon above, begging people to guide him. it would be interesting, if not painful on seimei’s pride as his owner to watch. ]

[That's painfully true. It hurts to be reminded how useless he is and he's reminded how just recently, he hadn't been able to deny Seimei's order. Not even for Ritsuka's sake and he had pledged to protect him.

Soubi was nothing without a master.]

You're right. [His tone is quiet and he looks down at the ground.] You manage just fine, though. [Soubi knows he's useful for fighting but beyond that, he can't see his worth as anything more. Seimei doesn't need him, he thinks.]

[ that, surprisingly, gets a low chuckle out of seimei. it’s just so quintessentially soubi—in a strange way, seimei missed this. nisei has been a fine companion, as the true beloved fighter, but seimei needs someone thoroughly broken in to balance out nisei’s mischief. who wouldn’t enjoy hearing compliments like that? ]

That’s so nice of you to say. [ lightly. ] It’ll be better now that I have you back, though. From what I know, Ritsuka’s been a little soft with you… we have work to do.

[ then, seimei checks his device for something, pulling up the map. ]

Come. I’ll show you where you’ll live.

Okay.

[Even if Seimei is his Master, there's still the loyalty he has for Ritsuka. Although it was hardly an insult to the young boy. Seimei had probably never expected Ritsuka to be anything like Seimei had been and Ritsuka hadn't. Ritsuka had been too nice. But Soubi still felt the need to defend him.

He struggles when to say it even as he follows behind Seimei and almost randomly, finally does:]

Ritsuka did his best. He's a very nice boy...

Hm?

[ seimei clearly hears it. the sound of acknowledgment, the way the ears on top of his head briefly twitch, all suggest that he didn’t miss a word of what soubi has said to him. therefore, rather than being polite, seimei’s near-cheerful question comes off as a rather pointed punishment. ]

Did you say something?

[ the comment is not offensive. seimei agrees, after all: ritsuka is a very nice boy. it’s the prolonged silence before soubi could even make himself say it that has his attention. ]

[There's no way that Seimei didn't hear that. He was so attentive to his surroundings that Soubi knew he heard. Which leaves the question of what he should do. Should he repeat himself? It may be a warning not to.

But if Soubi can't do anything right, he can at least defend Ritsuka.]

Ritsuka is nice. He just never wanted to hurt anybody. Or control anybody. He always told me I was my own person...[Which Soubi didn't agree with but it had been the only time someone had told him that that knew what he did. Kio had said it but Kio never knew the whole story.]

[ that’s just ritsuka’s power. loveless name be damned—people would have to be foolish not to fall in love with him. it doesn’t make seimei any less surprised to hear soubi push through what must be fear or doubt to defend him anyway.

but seimei does have to consider that this soubi, if he is to be believed, doesn’t yet know what he will do. seimei supposes the duty of information falls on him, if only to get him to shut up. so much, he thinks, for his generous forgiveness earlier. that’s part of being a master. ]

I’m really sick of hearing you talk about Ritsuka.

I'm sorry.

[The words leave his mouth before he thinks about them. Obeying is first and anything else comes second.]

Ritsuka just wasn't meant to own someone and I didn't want you to think he failed...[It doesn't sound right coming from his mouth. Honestly, it sounds foolish and he regrets saying it. But the need to defend Ritsuka had been stronger than anything else.]

I'm sorry.

I wanted to forgive you, but you make it hard, Soubi.

[ seimei’s mood is, as always, unpredictable. unreadable. ]

Do you know what you did? You abandoned him. When I asked you to come back, no matter how much Ritsuka cried, you couldn’t help but leave him. [ he speaks evenly—he’s merely reporting the facts. ] So I don’t want to hear you speak about him anymore.

[Soubi had known this was how it had to have happened. There was no other way. Although he had hoped, more than anything, that he had finally learned to say no. At least for the sake of Ritsuka.

Apparently not.]

But you still requested me to come back.

[This isn't talking about Ritsuka. Technically.]

I had a need for you.

[ seimei still does, though he almost regrets his desperate calling for soubi earlier. ]

I can’t make you do anything, Soubi. [ it’s something he says only when he needs to—he knows all too well that telling soubi anything at all is as good as making him do it. ] Coming with me was your choice.

[Even Soubi can know that Seimei is wrong. Soubi has no idea of having choice. If Seimei were to ask anything of him, it was never up to him to do. It was like a god asking. You couldn't say no.

But disagreeing with Seimei won't work and even if Soubi knows he truly had no choice, he knows he probably didn't say no. Probably didn't try to stay with Ritsuka even if he knows he wanted to.

There isn't anything to say to that. What argument does he give?]

Everything is confusing. I'm sorry.

[ nisei had sent seimei plenty of photos of ritsuka afterwards, and the photos are thankfully saved on his phone. he would go crazy if he couldn’t see them—he just needs to figure out how to transfer them onto his device. these are the things seimei worries about. ]

I guess it’s a lesson learned.

[ callous. he’s not trying to hide his annoyance, this time. ]

…for both of us, hm? I shouldn’t have given you so much freedom. [ but, whatever. he’s moving on. ] We’re fixing it now.

[Freedom. Had it been freedom? Maybe to some. For Soubi, it had felt suffocating not being controlled. As much as he had enjoyed his time with Ritsuka, it had been a struggle to know what to do with himself.

Most of his instincts tell him that Seimei is correct. He needed Seimei to own him like he used to. That was the only comfortable way.

A small voice says otherwise but Soubi would rather not pay that voice any mind. Does it matter? Wherever they are, Ritsuka is not here and Seimei is. Seimei is all he has. Not even Kio.

It's better to go with what he knows. What's comfortable.]

Thank you.

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